KRDS lects
Indo-Aryan variety from eastern Indian subcontinent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The KRDS lects (or the Kamta, Rajbanshi, Deshi and Surjapuri subgroup) are a cluster of modern lects that are phylogenetic descendants of the proto-Kamta language.[4] The proto-Kamta language began differentiating after 1250 around Kamatapur (present-day Gosanimari), the capital city of Kamata kingdom, as the western branch of the Kamarupi Prakrit,[5] whereas the eastern branch developed into Early Assamese. Since the 16th century the proto-Kamta community has fragmented giving rise to the differentiated modern lects.[6] The modern lects are:[7][8] Goalpariya/Deshi (Assam), Kamta (Assam and West Bengal), Kayort/Kewat (Nepal), Rangpuri (Bangladesh), Rajbanshi/Tajpuriya (Nepal) and Surjapuri (Bihar).[9]
| KRDS lects | |
|---|---|
| KRNB (Kamta, Rajbanshi and Northern Bangla) lects Kamatapuri • Kamta | |
| Native to | India, Bangladesh, Nepal |
| Region | Northern West Bengal, Western Assam, North Eastern Bihar, Northern Bangladesh, Southeast Nepal |
| Ethnicity | Rajbanshi, Surjapuri, Bengali, Assamese, Nashya Shaikh, Deshi, Kewat |
| Dialects | Kewat, Rajbanshi/Tajpuriya, Rangpuri/Kamtapuri, Deshi, Surjapuri, Dhekri |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:kyv – Kayort or Kewatrjs – Rajbanshirkt – Rangpuri/Kamtapurisjp – Surjapuri |
| Glottolog | kamt1242 |
These modern lects could be categorised into three groups: western, central and eastern.[10] Unlike the Assamese, Bengali, Hindi and Nepali languages which were standardised and propagated in the 19th and 20th centuries,[11] the KRDS lects were not standardised. As a result, the KRDS lects became diglossic vernaculars to these standard varieties and acquired phonological and morphological features from them.[12]
Nevertheless, two standards are emerging within the KRDS lects: a central Jhapa variety targeting speakers in Nepal, and an eastern Cooch Behar variety targeting speakers in northern West Bengal and western Assam.[13]
Proto-Kamta
The development of proto-Kamta (also called proto-Kamata) was the result of Sandhya, a ruler of Kamarupa Nagara (present-day North Guwahati), Kamrup moving his capital[14] to Kamatapur (present-day Gosanimari)[15] and establishing the Kamata kingdom, thus carrying the native language along with.
Socio-linguistic communities
The modern KRNB lects are spoken primarily in western Assam, northern West Bengal, northern Bangladesh, north-eastern Bihar and south-eastern Nepal.[9]